The children could not step outside the door without danger of
meeting some one who would do them harm. It is the curse of crowded
city life that there is so little of a natural and attractive sort
for a child to do, and so much of evil close at hand.

My wife asked me humorously for the news. She saw that I was not
reading my paper, and my frowning brow and firm lips proved my
problem was not of a trifling nature. She suspected nothing more,
however, than that I was thinking of taking rooms in some better
locality, and she was wondering how I could do it, for she knew that
my income now left but a small surplus above expenses.

At last Winnie too was ready to go to bed, and I said to her,
gravely: "Here is money to pay Melissa for that paper. It was only
fit for the gutter, and into the gutter I put it. I wish you to
promise me never to look at such pictures again, or you can never
hope to grow up to be a lady like mamma."

The child flushed deeply, and went tearful and penitent to bed.
Mousie also retired with a wistful look upon her face, for she saw
that something of grave importance occupied my mind.

No matter how tired my wife might be, she was never satisfied to sit
down until the room had been put in order, a green cloth spread upon
the supper-table and the student lamp placed in its centre.

Merton brought his school-books, and my wife took up her mending,
and we three sat down within the circle of light.

"Don't do any more work to-night," I said, looking into my wife's